Combination baseboard and anchoring device for a floor covering



FIG.3.

W. R. CLEMENTS COMBINATION BASEBOARD AND ANCHORING DEVICE FOR A FLOOR COVERING Filed Jan. 18, 1960 INVENTOR. WILLIAM R. GLEMENTS ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1962 FlG.l.

United tates 3,062,342 COMBINATION BASEEEOARD AND ANCHORING DEVHCE FOR A FLOUR CGVERHNG William R. Clements, Taylor, Mich, assignor of twentyfour and one-half percent to Byron H. Becker, Plymouth, and twenty-four and one-half percent to Ronald L. Miron, Hazel Park, Mich.

Filed Jan. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 2,904 Claims. (6!. 18987) This invention relates generally to a combination baseboard and anchoring device for a floor covering, and refers more particularly to a combination of the type mentioned capable of being used with floor coverings of various types.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a combination that eliminates the necessity of placing an edge of a floor covering against an upright wall of a room, and that includes means for concealing such edge of the floor covering.

Another object is to provide a combination that is usable after either a relatively hard floor covering such as an asphalt tile, vinyl tile, linoleum, or the like has been laid upon a floor, or after a carpeting has been laid upon a floor, or after a carpeting has been laid upon a relatively hard floor covering previously laid upon the floor.

Another object is to provide a combination that includes a carpet anchoring strip adapted to be moved to an inoperative position out of the way behind and concealed by a removable part of the baseboard when the combination is used with a relatively hard floor covering, and adapted to be moved to an operative position for anchoring a carpeting when the latter is laid upon either a floor or upon a relatively hard fioor covering previously laid upon the floor.

Another object is to provide a combination wherein the anchoring strip mentioned is pivotally connected to a fixed part of the baseboard, and wherein the pivotal connection not only permits the anchoring strip to be moved from an inoperative position to an operative position and vice versa, as just described, but also permits the anchoring strip to be adjusted vertically relative to said fixed part, depending upon the type or types of floor covering laid beneath such removable part. In this connection, it should be appreciated that one tenant in an oilice building or factory may desire carpeting on a floor, as in FIGURE 1. A second tenant of the same space may desire a relatively hard floor covering, as in FIGURE 3, instead of the carpeting previously laid, and a third tenant of the same space may desire carpeting after the hard floor covering has been laid, as in FIGURE 4. Thus my combination baseboard and anchoring device permits carpeting laid first upon a floor, as in FIGURE 1, to be readily removed without damage to either the carpeting or to the floor, and eliminates the necessity of removing the relatively hard floor covering in FIGURE 3 in the event it is desired to lay carpeting, as in FIGURE 4, after such hard floor covering has been laid on the floor. Once the hard floor covering has been laid upon the floor, my combination permits carpeting to be laid and anchored upon such previously laid hard floor covering without the removal of any portion of such hard floor covering. Hence my combination may be used when either type of floor covering is being laid upon the floor or with both types of floor covering when carpeting is laid upon the previously laid hard floor covering.

Another object is to provide a combination wherein the removable part may be readily assembled with or disassembled from the fixed part, and wherein the assembly is such that the removable part may be adjusted vertically relative to the fixed part when assembled therewith to Patented Nov. 6, 1962 compensate for the difference in thickness or over-all depth of material beneath the lower edge of said removable part when a relatively hard floor covering is laid upon the floor, as in FIGURE 3, or when carpeting is laid upon the floor, as in FIGURE 1, or when carpeting is laid upon a relatively hard floor covering previously laid upon the floor, as in FIGURE 4.

Another object is to provide a combination that may be made of any suitable sheet material such as aluminum, plastic, or steel, as desired.

Another object is to provide a combination that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and eificient in use.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a combination embodying my invention applied to an upright wall of a room and applied to a carpeting laid upon a suitable under-padding on the floor of the room with parts broken away and in section.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 22. of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing my combination applied to a relatively hard floor covering.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURES 1 and 3 respectively, but showing my combination applied to a carpeting laid upon a previously laid relatively hard floor covering upon the floor.

In the drawing, A is a fixed part, B is a removable part, and C is a carpet anchoring strip of a combination baseboard and anchoring device embodying my invention.

As shown, the three elements A, B and C respectively are made from sheet material and are adapted to be used beside an upright wall D of a room adjacent the floor E thereof.

Preferably the fixed part A comprises an upright panel 10 that is disposed in surface-to-surface relation with the upright wall D and that is provided throughout its length at the upper edge thereof with an inwardly offset horizontally extending portion 11 that is substantially L- shape in cross section. The base 12 of the L-shaped portion 11 extends substantially horizontally and constitutes a ledge, while the upright leg 13 of the L-shaped portion is spaced inwardly from and is substantially parallel to the side wall D. The lower edge of the fixed part A is adapted to rest upon the floor E, and any suitable means such as screws 14 may be used to secure said fixed part A to the side wall D.

The removable part B comprises an upright panel 29 spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel to the fixed part A, a top panel 21 integral with an inclining upwardly and rearwardly from said upright panel 20 at the upper edge thereof, and a depending vertical flange 22 integral with and projecting downwardly from said top panel 21 at the rear edge thereof. The lower edge of the upright panel 20 is adapted to rest upon a carpeting F, as in FIGURES 1 and 4, or upon a hard floor covering H, as in FIGURE 3, While the flange 22 is adapted to be received in the space between the upright wall D and the upright leg 13 of the L-shaped portion 11 of the fixed part A, and is detachably interlocked with said upright leg 13.

The carpet anchoring strip C is pivotally connected to the fixed part A adjacent the lower edge thereof and comprises a substantially L-shaped portion 30 and a channel-shaped portion 31 normally opening downwardly, as in FIGURES 1 and 4 respectively. Preferably the base 32 of the L-shaped portion 30 is adapted to rest upon the floor E, as in FIGURE 1, or upon the hard floor covering H, as in FIGURE 4, while the upright leg 33 of said L-shaped portion is normally parallel to the fixed part A and is provided at longitudinally spaced points thereof with upstanding substantially oval-shaped or elongated loops 34 that loosely receive and are pivotally connected to horizontally extending straps 35 struck inwardly from the fixed part A at longitudinally spaced points thereof.

The outer upright side wall 36 of the channel-shaped portion 31 of the anchoring strip C cooperates with the L-shaped portion '30 to form a channel 37 that normally opens upwardly for the reception of an edge of the carpeting F, as in FIGURE 1, while the inner upright side wall 38 of the channel-shaped portion 31 is substantially equal in height to the thickness of and serves as an abutment for suitable underpadding I for the carpet ing F.

The horizontal portion or web 39 of the channel-shaped portion 31 of the anchoring strip C normally underlies and serves as a seat for the carpeting F, as in FIGURES 1 and 4, and is provided at spaced points throughout its length with upwardly inclined prongs 40 that are struck from the web 39 and that pierce the base 42 of and serve as anchoring means for the carpeting F.

In use, the combination baseboard and anchoring de vice may be used when carpeting F is laid upon the floor E, as in FIGURE 1, or when a relatively hard floor covering H is laid upon the floor E, as in FIGURE 3, or when carpeting F is laid upon a relatively hard floor covering H previously laid upon the floor, as in FIGURE 4. In each instance, the anchoring strip C is pivotally connected to the fixed part A, preferably at the factory, to form a two-part subassembly before the fixed part A is secured by screws 14 or the like to the upright side wall D.

After the fixed part A of the two-part subassembly mentioned has been secured to the upright side wall D, the anchoring strip C may be moved in a vertical are about its pivotal connections with the fixed part A to an operative position, as shown in FIGURE 1, in the event carpeting F is to be laid upon the floor E, or to an inoperative position, as shown in FIGURE 3, in the event a relatively hard floor covering H is to be laid upon the floor E, or to an operative position on top of a relatively hard floor covering H on the floor E in the event carpeting F is to be laid upon such hard floor covering H previously laid upon the floor, as shown in FIGURE 4.

When carpeting F is laid either as shown in FIGURE 1 or as shown in FIGURE 4, the carpeting F is provided with suitable underpadding I which may be separate from or integral with the carpeting F, as desired. The underpadding I is laid upon the floor E as in FIGURE 1, or upon the hard floor covering H, as in FIGURE 4, and in each instance an edge of such underpadding I is placed in abutting relation with the inner upright side wall 38 of the channel-shaped portion 31 of said anchoring strip C. Also, an edge of the carpeting F is received within the channel 37 after the base 42 of the capeting has been interlocked with and anchored by the prongs 40 of the anchoring strip C. The vertical flange 22 of the removable part B may then be interlocked with the upright leg 13 of the L-shaped portion 11 of the fixed part A, and the lower edge of the upright panel 20 of the removable part B may then be placed upon the carpeting F, as in FIGURES 1 and 4, to complete the assembly.

When a relatively hard floor covering H is laid upon the floor E, as shown in FIGURE 3, the anchoring strip C is moved upwardly in the arc of a circle to a raised inoperative position, as shown in FIGURE 3. Then the vertical flange 22 of the removable part B may be interlocked with the upright leg 13 of the L-shaped portion 11 of the fixed part A, and the lower edge of the upright panel 20 of the removable part B may be placed upon the hard floor covering H, as in FIGURE 3, to complete the assembly.

Thus, in each instance when carpeting F is laid, as

in FIGURES 1 and 4 respectively, the removable part B serves as a cover to conceal the anchoring edge portion of the carpeting F. When a relatively hard floor covering H is laid upon the floor E, as in FIGURE 3, the removable part B serves as a cover to conceal the edge of such floor covering adjacent to the upright side wall D, as well as to conceal the anchoring strip C in its raised inoperative position. Accordingly, in every instance, the removable part B cooperates with the floor covering to provide a neat appearance.

By referring to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the iower edge of the vertical flange 22 of the removable part B rests upon and is supported by the ledge 12 of the fixed part A. In FIGURE 1, the lower edge of the vertical flange 22 of the removable part B is spaced above the ledge 12 of the fixed part A because the lower edge of the upright panel 20 of the removable part B rests upon the carpeting F on top of the channel-shaped portion 31 of the anchoring strip C. In FIGURE 4, the lower edge of the upright panel 20 of the removable part B rests upon the carpeting F on top of the channel-shaped portion 31 of the anchoring strip C, and such channelshaped portion 31 of the anchoring strip rests upon the previously laid hard floor covering H on the floor E. Hence the lower edge of the vertical flange 22 of the removable part B will be spaced a greater distance above the ledge 12 of the fixed part A than that shown in FIGURE 1. However, the depth of the upright leg 13 of the fixed part A and of the vertical flange 22 of the removable part B is such that the vertical flange 22 of the removable part B will be detachably interlocked with the upright leg 13 of the fixed part A in every instance, namely FIGURES l, 3 and 4 respectively.

Also, the oval-shaped or elongated formation of the loops 34 is such that the anchoring strip C may be adjusted vertically relative to the fixed part A, as well as pivoted in a vertical are about the horizontally extending strips 35 of the fixed part A. For example, in FIGURE 1, the straps 35 are at the upper curved portions 50 of the loops 34, while the base 32 of the L-shaped portion 36 and the channel-shaped portion 31 of the anchoring strip C rest upon the floor E. In FIGURE 3, the straps 35 are adjacent the curved portions 5th when the anchoring strip C is in a raised inoperative position relative to the floor E. In FIGURE 4, the straps 35 are adjacent the lower curved portions 51 of the loops 34, while the base 32 of the L-shaped portion 345 and the channelshaped portion 31 of the anchoring strip C rest upon the relatively hard floor covering H.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A combination baseboard and anchoring device for use in a room with different types of coverings for the floor of said room, said device comprising an upright part adapted to be fixed in parallel relation to an upright wall of said room, and anchorage means engageable with one type of covering to anchor the same, said anchorage means being connected to said upright part adjacent the lower edge thereof for pivotal movement relative thereto between operative and inoperative positions and for vertical adjustment relative thereto when in operative position, whereby said anchorage means may be adjusted downwardly upon the floor of said room when in operative position to engage and anchor said one type of covering in the event said one type of covering is laid upon the floor of said room, may be pivoted to inoperative position in the event a second type of covering is laid upon the floor of said room, and may be adjusted upwardly from the floor of said room when in operative position upon the top of a previously laid second type of covering in the event said one type of covering is laid upon said previously laid second type of covering to engage and anchor said one type of covering, said anchorage means comprising a strip extending longitudinally of and permanently connected to said upright part at longitudinally spaced points thereof, said strip having a channel-shaped portion engageable with the floor of said room and opening downwardly when in operative position, whereby the web of said channel is uppermost and constitutes a seat for said one type of covering, and said web having prongs struck therefrom to piece the base of said seated covering.

2. The combination described in claim 1, wherein the upright part has horizontally extending straps struck therefrom at longitudinally spaced points thereof, said strip has at longitudinally spaced points thereof loops encircling said horizontally extending straps, and wherein the loops are substantially oval shaped and loosely encircle said horizontally extending straps, whereby said strip may be swung in the vertical arc of a circle about said straps and may be adjusted vertically relative to said upright part.

3. A combination baseboard and anchoring device for use in a room with a covering for the floor of said room, comprising an upright part adapted to be fixed to an upright wall of said room, anchorage means for said covering connected to said upright part adjacent the lower end thereof for movement from a lowered position on the floor of said room to a raised position spaced above the floor of said room, means providing a pivotal connection between said anchorage means and said upright part, said anchorage means comprising a strip extending longitudinally of said upright part, said pivotal connection comprising horizontally extending elements carried by said upright part, and substantially oval shaped loops carried by said strip and loosely encircling said horizontally extending elements, whereby said strip may be swung in the vertical are of a circle relative to said horizontally extending elements and may be adjusted vertically relative to said upright part, said strip having a seat portion for said covering, and prongs struck from said seat portion to pierce the base of said covering, said strip having a channel shaped portion for receiving an edge of said covering.

4. A combination baseboard and anchoring device for use in a room with different types of coverings for the floor of said room, comprising an upright panel adapted to be fixed in parallel relation to an upright wall of said room and provided at the upper edge thereof with an inwardly ofifset portion of substantially L-shape in crosssection, the base of said L-shaped portion extending hori- 45 zontally and constituting a ledge, the upright leg of said L-shaped portion being spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel to said upright wall, a removable cover having an upright panel portion spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel to the upright panel aforesaid, having a top panel portion projecting rearwardly from said upright panel portion, and having a depending flange projecting from said top panel portion and engaging the space between said upright Wall and the upright leg of said L-shaped portion, an anchorage strip having means engageable with one type of covering to anchor the same, said anchorage strip being located between and extending longitudinally of said upright panel and said upright panel portion and connected at longitudinally spaced 60 2,879,841

points thereof to said upright panel adjacent the lower edge thereof for movement relative thereto, the connections between said anchorage strip and said upright panel comprising spaced elements carried by said upright panel, and loops carried by said strip and encircling said elements permitting pivotal movement of said anchorage strip relative to said upright panel,

5. A combination baseboard and anchoring device for use in a room with different types of coverings for the floor of said room, comprising an upright panel adapted to be fixed in parallel relation to an upright wall of said room and provided at the upper edge thereof with an inwardly offset portion of substantially L-shape in crosssection, the base of said L-shaped portion extending horizontally and constituting a ledge, the upright leg of said L-shaped portion being spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel to said upright wall, a removable cover having an upright panel portion spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel to the upright panel aforesaid, having a top panel portion projecting rearwardly from said upright panel portion, and having a depending flange projecting from said top panel portion and engaging the space between said upright wall and the upright leg of said L-shaped portion, an anchorage strip having means engageable with one type of covering to anchor the same, said anchorage strip being located between and extending longitudinally of said upright panel and said upright panel portion and connected at longitudinally spaced points thereof to said upright panel adjacent the lower edge thereof for movement relative thereto, the connections between said strip and said upright panel comprising longitudinally spaced horizontally extending elements carried by said upright panel, and substantially oval shaped loops carried by said strip and encircling said horizontally extending elements to provide for pivotal movement of said strip in the vertical arc of a circle relative to said upright part between operative and inoperative positions and to provide for vertical adjustment of said strip relative to said upright part when said strip is in operative position, whereby said strip may be adjusted downwardly upon the floor of said room when in operative position to engage and anchor said one type of covering in the event said one type of covering is laid upon the floor of said room, may be pivoted to inoperative position in the event a second type of covering is laid upon the floor of said room, and may be adjusted upwardly from the floor of said room when in operative position upon the top of a previously laid second type of covering in the event said one type of covering is laid upon said previously laid second type of covering to engage and anchor said one type of covering.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 383,849 Barrow June 5, 1888 1,847,373 Awbrey Mar. 1, 1932 2,869,694 Breckheimer Ian. 20, 1959 Etten Mar. 31, 1959 

